REMINDER: Backup & No Open Containers with Liquid!

QuietYell

I rarely keep a container open near my laptop but I did yesterday when I got distracted, and of course, I ended up bumping it onto my laptop which promptly went black. To top things off, I usually back up every week or 2 but I have "been too busy" for 5 weeks, currently losing most of that work that hadn't been transferred via Dropbox (maybe after my old laptop is done drying upside down for another day or so I might be able to restart and backup - Fingers are crossed super big time)

I can't be without a computer due to current workload, so I got a new one (not an expense I was looking to have!).

So, I don't want this to happen to you and thought I'd remind you to backup your computer now & often and keep open liquid containers away.

( ^ - ^ )

jimsz

A couple of hints - if yo don't have a local backup system in place simply upgrade dropbox to 1tb plan and keep all your working/active files in the dropbox folder. The update is continuous. For $10/mo it is the best insurance you can have.

as for your old computer, even it is no longer powers up, you can pull the HD or SD drop it in a housing and access it as an external drive.

QuietYell

@jimsz Thanks! You know, I do have DB-Plus, but I've mostly used it for transfer and keeping certain files for remote access. I hadn't really considered to use it as my active file space, but I think you make a good point, especially since DB had some files that I would have lost otherwise. Have you ever experienced a DB downtime where the files aren't accessible? I guess they would always stay on my harddrive even if DB goes down; they just wouldn't be synced (I haven't researched this).

It crossed my mind to pull the HD and use as an external. I am thinking that even as an external (I'm guessing I'll have to get a case & other tools from iFixit or elsewhere), it probably wouldn't work like other externals, and I would still have to boot it from my new laptop, correct?

Thanks for these thoughts. I think I will migrate my active files into a Dropbox system. Sometimes my files are up to 1Gb-2Gb so that had been a deterrent, but losing my data is an even bigger deterrent!

Regardless of my personal situation, I wanted to post a reminder to others. It is easy to get lazy with open containers and with backing up (as I was sharing with a client, they started moving their open container from their laptop).

DOTTYP

I feel bad for you! it is terrible when that happens, I am not allowed drinks near the computer any more too many mishaps. sometimes it dries out ok I hope so.

QuietYell

@dottyp Thanks! It was pure water (no minerals so less corrosion than if it had them or was something worse like coffee, juice, wine) so I have a fighting chance, but water and electricity don't exactly play well together.... Fortunately it wasn't the most important stuff and we can all get buy without these files. — Have you had lots of mishaps?!

Kevin Longueil

@quietyell so sorry this happened to you Scott!! I was able to bring a MacBook Air back from the brink after it took part of a glass of water to the keyboard - I purchased the proper Pentalobe driver (T5 maybe?) and took the back off of the laptop - I placed the laptop down on its two front edges so it was sitting like a tent and then I ran a fan into the opened back for 24 hours - it started right up -( this was all suggested by a local repair shop). I hope this helps - good luck!

TessaW

Oh no! That sucks. Hoping for a miraculous recovery for that computer.

QuietYell

@kevin-longueil @TessaW Thanks Kevin & Tessa! I'm drying it out for the next day or so hoping I can get it back on long enough to grab files out. Fortunately, my client just shrugged it off saying that things happen and has kept laughing and teasing me. Grace is a wonderful & freeing thing!

DOTTYP

@quietyell Water is easier because it won’t dry sticky like coke, I pretty much spill everything I go near

QuietYell

IT WORKED IT WORKED IT WORKED!!!!!

I was able to start my old laptop this morning and grab all the most important client files off it!

Of course, as I was pulling other files I heard periodic odd sounds (a kind of scraping, white noise, maybe sizzling sound), so I thought to pull my power cord out and just let the battery carry it.

OOPS! Bad move...The computer immediately went black...

Ahh, but I tried turning it on again later and was able to get all the rest of the files off - YAYYYY!!!

So it looks like I've gotten everything (perhaps with the exception of some stray files or preferences that are in odd locations and that I don't realize I am missing, but I will attempt a TimeMachine backup to grab those in case I ever go searching for them) My old laptop is unreliable (goes black when the plug is pulled) but perhaps I can tinker with it and find a use for it.

Regardless, this is me right now:

@jimsz Thanks again for the recommendation to simply keep my active files in my Dropbox synced folders. I moved them into there!

Again, I posted all this in hopes that it might be a reminder to anyone else here that may have not backed up lately or might have been keeping open liquid containers nearby.

Back-up often and keep liquids away!

Eli

@quietyell Hooray! I felt so awful for you and am glad you were able to rescue your files!! This was a timely reminder for me because I've been getting really cocky with putting my water cup for painting (as well as my coffee ) right next to the laptop while I'm painting. I'll think twice after your story.

QuietYell

@eli Thank you!!! And I am so glad it served to remind you and potentially have "saved" your computer. That was the goal of my sharing, because I got cocky as well (and lazy too!) and thought that perhaps others might be similar to me. Hurray for dry computers!

DOTTYP

@quietyell Glad to hear that-I bet you are saying never again!

QuietYell

@dottyp Haha for sure! Though, knowing just how much I seem to like re-learning hard & painful lessons over and over again... haha

Thanks!